Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of History's Greatest Buildings
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.11 (843 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1250118298 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 640 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-03-25 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
An inviting, fascinating compendium of twenty-one of history's most famous lost places, from the Tower of Babel to the Twin TowersBuildings are more like us than we realize. They can endure crises of faith and purpose. They provide the stage for a startling array of characters, including Gilgamesh, the Cretan Minotaur, Agamemnon, Nefertiti, Genghis Khan, Henry VIII, Catherine the Great, Adolf Hitler, and even Bruce Springsteen.The twenty-one structures Crawford focuses on include The Tower of Babel, The Temple of Jerusalem, The Library of Alexandria, The Bastille, Kowloon Walled City, the Berlin Wall, and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. They have parentsgods, kings and emperors, governments, visionaries and madmenas well as friends and enemies. Ranging from the deserts of Iraq, the banks of the Nile and the cloud forests of Peru, to the great cities of Jerusalem, Istanbul, Paris, Rome, London and New York, Fallen Glor
“No one can accuse Fallen Glory of lacking ambition.It’s a narrative that spans seven millennia, five continents and even reaches into cyberspace. At no time was I tempted to rush through or skip ahead. The writing is that good, and each one of the author’s subjects is fascinating and idiosyncratic.This is a book of and for the world.”Henry Petroski, The Wall Street Journal“Witty and memorablemoving as well as myth-busting.”Mary Beard, Times Literary Supplement (UK)“An elegant, charged book A well-written prize for students of history, archaeology,
"Fascinating look at constructions and the context in which they were placed." according to Steven Peterson. An absolutely fascinating book! It explores buildings, cities, and other architectural creations from millennia B.C. up to much more recent times. It explores the discovery process of the varying constructions, a slice of history about these, an analysis of what the particular story might tell us.The book begins with the Tower of Babel, an elusive subject. The chapter brings in American troops and Saddam Hussein himself as a part of the narrative (a fascinating juxtaposition). Ot. History brought to life. It's tempting to say, This is how all history should be written and taught for non-historians. Through tales of the rise and fall of many of the world's greatest buildings and cities, Crawford really brings history to life. Though copiously footnoted suggesting considerable academic rigor, this book is full of lively and fascinating storytelling that leaves a reader filled with amazement at what humans can do, and by their folly as well. A terrific read - highly recommended.. Five Stars A very interesting and well-written book.
He has previously written a number of photographic books, including Above Scotland: The National Collection of Aerial Photography, Victorian Scotland, Scotland's Landscapes, and Aerofilms: A History of Britain from Above. Born in the Shetlands in 1978, he studied History and Philosophy of Law at the University of Edinburgh, winning the Lord President Cooper